Author's Notes: This the start of what I hope will be a great Sookie/Alcide fic. I'm not used to writing in first person, so bear with me, please.

Disclaimer: I do not own SVM or it's characters. Sadly.

Secrets That Kill

Chapter One

SPOV

Mornings at Merlotte's started at around nine. We came in, got set up for the day. Doors opened at ten-thirty. It's not so bad, unless you worked the evening shift the night before. Or if you worked the evening shift and went out with your boyfriend. Then it was just hell.

I hid a yawn behind my hand as I carried a tray of empties back behind the bar and into the kitchen. You'd think that getting home around two in the morning would mean I was exhausted and would go straight to bed. Nope, not at all. By the time I had gotten home after going to my boyfriend's house to watch a movie, I was wired. I took a long hot bath, caught up on the latest romance novel I was reading, cleaned my room, and gave myself a manicure and pedicure. I managed to do all this without waking up my Gran too. I still wasn't ready for sleep at five in the morning, but I forced myself to lay down and go to sleep.

I know why I didn't want to sleep and it wasn't just because I was wired. No, it was because I knew I'd dream. Of him. I was getting pretty sick and tired of these dreams. Every night for the last few months, I'd have this one dream, or rather a series of dreams, about this guy. This incredibly sexy guy who, in my dream world, really knew how to use his...body. Oh yeah, it was those kind of dreams. Those amazing and intense erotic dreams that had me waking up with my body aching for something its never had before.

I think I'm breaking some rule. Virgin rule number 5: Virgins are not allowed to have kinky sex dreams, as they do not know how sex really feels. Maybe two rules, actually. Relationship rule number 7: Do not dream and lust after strange men when you are seeing someone seriously. Come to think of it, I'm breaking three rules, I'm sure. Relationship rule number 3: Sex after dating steadily for six months is kind of a given. Yeah, I still haven't had sex with my boyfriend, something I know is frustrating him to no end.

My name being yelled pulled me out of my inner thoughts and I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes as I turned to see who was yelling at me. A huge grin stretched my lips as I bounced out from behind the bar and threw myself at the man who called my name. I hugged him tightly and stepped back. "Jason! You didn't tell us that you were coming in for a visit! Gran is going to be so excited."

My brother smiled down at me, eyes twinkling. It had been almost a year since I saw my brother last. He left when he was eighteen determined to get out of Bon Temps. I'm not real sure where he went, he never explained it. He's come back for a few visits, but since he left, Jason has become so secretive.

Jason wrapped me up in another big bear hug before he spoke. "I know, I wasn't sure exactly what day I'd get in, so I thought I'd just surprise you."

I reached up and ran a hand over his chin stubble. He looked...worn. Tired and weighted down. He hadn't looked like this when he was in for a visit last year. Something had happened in the space of a year that turned Jason into this stranger. I bit my lip, wanting to ask, but I held my tongue. Now wasn't the time to get into that.

I slipped my arm through his. "That's alright, I'll give Gran a call in a bit, so she'll know you are coming in and can get a room fixed up for you for the night. You won't want to stay in the old house, it hasn't been cleaned since last fall. It will be all dusty." I turned to lead him to a table and bumped into a very solid, very firm body. Stumbling, I looked up to apologize and I felt my eyes go wide and I know my mouth fell open.

He was tall with this dark tan. His hair, a rich, lush shade of black, was wavy, just long enough to brush his shoulders, and it suited his rugged face. I couldn't really tell the shape of his face, as it was covered in coarse black hair. Where Jason only had stubble, this man had a thick beard. Normally bearded men don't do it for me, but I could change my mind, right? His eyes, dark and green, seemed to stare right through me. He wore a pair of worn jeans and a cut off flannel shirt, green and black plaid. I could almost hear my mouth watering.

But it wasn't his looks that made me gape like an idiot. No it was the fact that standing right in front of me, as real as Jason's warm presence at my side, was my mysterious dream man. I'm not kidding. This was the man who I've been dreaming about for the last few months. I was so sure of it that I had to restrain myself from ripping off his shirt just to see if he, like dream man, had a curved scar just above his heart.

Jason laughed and reached out to clap a hand on the man's shoulder. "You'll have to forgive my sister, Alcide. Sookie is just happy to see me. Sookie, this is my friend, Alcide. He has family in Shreveport so we drove in together."

I nodded dumbly as Alcide inclined his head to me. "Nice to meet you, Sookie. Jason has been talking a lot about you and your Gran.."

"Well," I said, trying to regain my footing as my mind just blanked on me, "it's nice to meet you Alcide. I'm sorry for just staring, I was caught off guard, what with Jason returning and all."

I continued to stare at him, unable to help myself. How was it that this man, who I have never met before in my life, featured so prominently in my lusty little dreams? I noticed Alcide shifting nervously, his gaze flickering from me to my brother and I brought myself back to reality. There was no way this was the guy from my dreams, it was just a coincidence, that was all. I smiled brightly at him. "I'm sorry, I'm acting rude. Come on you two, I'll show you to a booth and get ya'll something cold to drink. I imagine that you are thirsty after the drive."

It was only the middle of May but the temperatures are already in the nineties. Gotta love the weather in Louisiana. When Jason and Alcide nodded, I led them to an empty booth in my station. It took a bit to get to it since we had to stop at almost every table and booth we passed for the locals to welcome Jason home. Bon Temps is a small town, and hardly anyone leaves the area. Everyone was shocked by Jason, who cleaned up his act when he was sixteen and actually graduated with good grades. Then he surprised us all by taking off. Everyone seemed to forget how much they had disapproved of him leaving, or his bad boy image in his teens. Now they were treating him like a prodigal son who has finally returned home.

When we finally made it to the booth, I stepped back so that they could sit down and I offered two menus. I really shouldn't have given Jason one, as Merlotte's really hasn't had a menu change in the five years I've worked here, but it was habit. After the ordered their drinks, two big glasses of our sweet tea, I gave Jason another small hug and made my way back to the bar to fill the drink orders, stopping to collect some other orders and tabs on the way. No one seemed to mind that I spent almost five minutes ignoring them while I fawned over my brother, which was a good thing. Hopefully that not minding bit would stretch into my tips as well.

As I waited for my orders to be filled and cashed out the three tabs I collection, I thought about Alcide no last name. How like Jason not to give a last name, I thought. I peeked over the cash register to get another peek at Alcide. I really could not help myself. He was sitting on the side of the booth that afforded me with a really good look at his face. Though it was hard to tell with the distance between us, I could tell that he was just as worn and tired as Jason. There were the faintest hints of shadows around his eyes, as if he went to a very dark place and is only just now coming out of it. I shuddered at the thought and gathered up my full tray of drinks in one hand and change in the other.

In no time at all, I was making my way back to Jason and his friend, their sweet teas the only drinks on my tray. I placed them in front of the guys, on small square napkins boasting the Merlotte's logo, and grinned at them, taking out my order pad. "So, can I get you something to eat? I know that we don't have a lot of food on the menu, but the burgers are delicious. You remember Layfette, Jason? He cooked up a new sauce to marinate the burgers in and it is just to die for."

Jason grinned at me. "Sure, Sookie, I'll have one of those new burgers and some fries. Alcide?"

Alcide looked at me and I felt my insides turn to jelly. Even though it was a normal every day look, there was this power lurking behind it. I had a pretty good clue of what it was too, since I'd been having dream sex with this guy for awhile now. I gulped when I realized that he had said something and I had been so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I missed it. I felt my cheeks burn from blushing. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

I could hear Jason snickering and I shot a quick glare at him as Alcide repeated himself. I jotted his order down and gave them a bright smile. "Alright, that's two of Layfette's special burgers and two fries. I'll be back with them soon."

As I walked away, cursing myself for behaving so stupidly, I heard my brother laugh and apologize to Alcide. "I'm sorry man, I don't know what's gotten into Sookie, usually she's not so addle brained."

Addle brained? Me? It just burned me to my toes that Jason was right. I was a damn good waitress, if I say so myself. I never get behind on my tables, I always get them cleaned up, I never short change or over charge anyone, and I always have a smile for my customers. So what was wrong with me? Obviously thinking that this Alcide guy was the star of my dreams was screwing with my head.

I shuffled back behind the bar and turned in their order. As I waited on it, I scanned the room, trying to avoid looking at the table in the back. It was quite the effort and I was so focused on it that I didn't realize that my boss, Sam, had come up beside me and was talking to me. Wincing, I turned to him. "Sorry, Sam, I'm distracted. What were you saying?"

Sam Merlotte smiled at me. His smile wasn't nearly as distracting as Alcide's, but then I had been working for him for five years and no matter what they say, when you work with someone for that long, some of the charm just wears off. Sam was attractive, don't get me wrong, and for a while, after I first started working at Merlotte's I entertained several fantasies about him. It was hard not to. He wasn't as tall as Jason or Alcide, but he wasn't short either. He was stocky, with this really nice strawberry blonde hair that was just slightly more blonde, a clear sign that he'd been out working more in the sun than inside. His eyes, a light blue that seemed to just know everything at a glance, were kind and caring. I tossed out my fantasies about Sam, because one he was my boss and it is never a good thing to fantasize about the boss, and two, he thought me more of a little sister than a romantic interest. It worked out well. I couldn't have a better boss than Sam Merlotte.

He proved that now by not rebuking me for daydreaming on the job. "That's alright, I imagine that you are real happy to have Jason home. Look, things are slow here, so why don't you just take off when Jason leaves. Go home with him and spend some time with him and your Gran. I can call in Tonya to cover the rest of your shift."

I blinked at him, moved to tears. I threw my arms around his neck and gave him a big hug and a smacking kiss on the cheek. "Thank you Sam! I'll go call Tonya myself while Layfette gets those burgers fixed up."

He laughed at my enthusiasm. I imagine that I looked like a five year old that was just told that they could have whatever toy they wanted at Toys R Us, but I didn't care. I had my brother back, and I hoped that he was back for a long stay. Then there was Alcide, who despite my best efforts to shove to the back of my mind, kept floating forward. Bad Sookie, thinking about another man when you have a boyfriend. I rushed back to his office and made a quick phone call to Tonya Norris, one of our fill in waitresses. I let her know what was going on, that Jason was back, and she was more than happy to come in early to cover the rest of my shit. She might live out in Hotshot with her husband, and I might not get along with her all the time, but she knew how to come through when you really needed her.

I stood back there for a moment, pondering if I should call Gran or not. I know that I said I would, but I wanted Jason's return to be as much of a surprise to her as it had been for me, so I didn't. I did go back out on the floor and make a last round of my tables. Everyone was asking me how happy I was to have Jason home and how come I didn't let them know so that they could throw a big welcome home party for him. I smiled at them and told them all that this was a surprise and that Gran and I hadn't even known he was back from wherever it was he had been this time. Just as I was going back to pick up the burgers, Tonya walked in. As I stripped off my apron, I gave her the run down on my tables and thanked her, again, for coming in early.

After that, I fixed myself something to drink, got the burgers and fries and carried them back over to the table. Alcide and Jason had been talking in hushed tones, but shut up once I arrived. I placed the baskets of food in front of them and nudged Jason over. I slid into the empty spot he made and gave him a grin. "Sam is letting me go early so I can go on back home with you. He said I should spend time with you and Gran."

"That's great Sookie." Jason said as he drenched his fries in ketchup.

I made a face at the way he ruined a perfectly good batch of fries and snagged one that wasn't totally covered in ketchup. I munched on it, content to just sit next to my brother as he and his friend chowed down. Finally, tired of the silence, I looked at Alcide, promising myself I wouldn't just stare. "So, Alcide, Jason said that you were from Shreveport? How did you two meet?"

Alcide paused in the middle of bringing a fry to his mouth. I got this feeling from the way he hesitated that I asked the wrong thing. It was as if he didn't know how to respond and he gave Jason a long, intense look. Jason met his eyes and I got the impression that they had this entire conversation, without speaking. Finally Alcide looked at me and smiled easily. "We met in California a couple years ago. We met up in Ohio a few weeks ago and decided to drive down here together."

"Oh," was all I could think to say since I just knew he was lying. But why? Why was how he and Jason met such a secret?

"Your brother, he's a funny man." Alcide said, changing the subject. Interesting.

I snorted at that. "Oh yeah, he's a regular comedian."

Jason grinned at me as he sipped his sweet tea. "Sookie doesn't find my jokes funny anymore. Not since the time I took her bra and—"

I yelped, realizing what story he was going to share, and slapped my hand over his mouth while giving him a glare that would melt butter at fifty paces. I spoke softly, my voice as sweet as honey with a thread of steel behind it. "If you finish that sentence, brother of mine, you are going to want to find another place to crash tonight because nothing of yours, or on your body, will be safe from my wrath."

Alcide was watching us with amusement as Jason squawked and tried to pry my hand off his mouth. At his chuckle we looked at him and he gestured with a fry, green eyes amused. "It's funny to see him with you. He mentioned that you two were close and I can see that. It's like he's a whole different person."

I shrugged and removed my hand from Jason's mouth before he did something disgusting and licked it. He used to do that a lot when we were children and I wouldn't put it past him to do it again. "What can I say, I just bring the love out in people."

Both men gave me incredulous looks and I realized just how one might take what I just said, if they had perverted minds. Which clearly they did. I knew that Jason was perverted, after all, he was kind of the Bon Temps Casanova. I don't think that you can sleep with as many women as Jason has in his lifetime without being a little bit perverted. But Alcide? I didn't really figure him for the perverted time at first glance, but that goes to show that appearances can be deceiving. I began to think about the perverted things I wanted to do with him and felt my cheeks burn. I ducked my head down to hide the fact that I was blushing and gave myself a furious scolding.

Sookie Stackhouse, you just stop those thoughts right now. It isn't right. You have a boyfriend, you are happy with said boyfriend. Stop daydreaming about the extremely hot man sitting across from you and his dark, smoldering green eyes...gah I'm doing it again! Must stop these thoughts!

I finally got my emotions under control and looked up to see Alcide and Jason talking about some guy named Cobra. Really, Cobra? That was so...G.I. Joe. I giggled to myself, remembering how Jason used to tie bottle rockets to his G.I. Joes to make them fly. Not a single one of them flew, but by god, they blew up real well. From the way they talked, I had to assume that Cobra was another one of their friends in the secret world of Jason. I rested my head on my hand I listened to them talk, kinda glad to get this view of this side of Jason's life. It isn't like they revealed much, but still, it was enough to know that Jason belonged to a whole other world that we weren't part of. When they finished eating, Alcide pulled out his wallet to pay.

I sat up straighter and waved it off. "No, don't worry about that. It's on me."

Alcide gave me a startled look. "Are you sure?"

"Yup, I don't mind. I'm just gonna go tell Sam and we can leave."

"Alcide is going to be going with us. We are tired from the drive and everything, so I said that he could stay with us for the night and head into Shreveport in the morning. You don't think that Gran will mind, do you?" Jason asked.

I shrugged, sending my blonde ponytail bouncing. "I don't see why not. She's going to be so excited at having you home that I'm pretty sure you could get away with murder."

Jason and Alcide laughed as I walked off to tell Sam bye. We had a quick conversation, with me explaining I had told Jason and Alcide that I was paying for their meal and Sam insisting it was on the house. I hugged him and promised that I'd see him tomorrow, when I came in to work the afternoon and early evening shift.

Jason and Alcide met me near the door and I looped my arm through Jason's. "Come on Jase, let's get home and surprise Gran."

We headed towards the door, waving bye to those that bid us farewell. Just as we were about to reach the door, it swung open with a ding from the little bell above and I took an automatic step back to allow whoever came through to pass. When there was no movement I looked up and stared into the violet eyes of my boyfriend. Well this was going to be fun.

I blinked and smiled up at him. "Quinn, I didn't know that you were coming by today, you didn't say anything last night."

"I thought I'd get some lunch." John Quinn said slowly, his eyes flicking from me to Jason, to my arm through Jason's and back to Alcide who was standing behind us. There was a hint of anger in his voice when he spoke again. "Something you want to share, babe?"

I have him a 'what are you talking about look' and looked down to where he was staring at Jason's and my arms entwined. Then I laughed, realizing what he must be thinking. "Oh, haha. Quinn, this is my brother, Jason, in for a visit. And his friend Alcide."

Quinn nodded and reached out a hand to shake Jason's hand. My brother hesitated then took it, shook briefly, then let go like his hand was on fire. Well that was just odd. Jason was raised better and had way better manners than that. Quinn offer his hand to Alcide and Alcide reacted the same way as my brother. I pulled away to look at the two men and saw that both Jason and Alcide were wearing very blank faces. Huh. Another weird thing was that I could literally feel disapproval radiating from not only Jason, but Alcide. That ticked me off just a bit. What right did a stranger have to judge who I dated?

Discomforted by their reactions, I pulled away from Jason and laid a hand on Quinn's shoulder. When he looked at me, I rose up on my tiptoes and brushed my lips over his. "Quinn, I know that we had plans tonight, but I'm afraid I need to cancel. I know that Gran will want to have a small family only dinner tonight to celebrate Jason's return. I'll call you tomorrow, we can reschedule."

At the mention of a family only dinner, Quinn flicked a glance at Alcide and I could tell that he was wondering if Alcide was going to be there. I didn't say anything, having a feeling that if I did say that Alcide was staying, he would make a big deal out of it. Instead of commenting on Alcide, Quinn patted me on the shoulder reassuringly and kissed my forehead."It's alright, I understand, I'll catch you tomorrow, babe."

I could see Jason sneer out the corner of his eye at Quinn's term of endearment for me and I winced, stepping on my brother's foot so he wouldn't say anything. "Thank you, Quinn, you have a good night. I'll try and text you later."

He nodded and stepped back and allowed us to pass. I could feel his stare burning into my back as we walked out. I didn't see what happened, but I think something did because as Alcide walked past me, I glanced back over my shoulder, surprised to see a look of anger on Quinn's face as the door to Merlotte's closed behind us. I had no time to decipher what it meant because Jason said he'd ride with me and Alcide could follow us. I knew that Jason wanted to know more about Quinn and frankly, I just wasn't ready for the questions that would come but I could find no way out of it. So as Alcide climbed into a big Dodge Ram that was painted black with white stripes down the side, Jason and I got into my Malibu and I buckled up as I started the engine.

As I pulled out of the parking lot, I saw Alcide following us. Something had happened in those few moments of introduction and I wasn't sure what. I was so confused, by the negative reactions, Quinn's anger, and I had a feeling that it was just going to get worse as the night went on.

Author's Notes: Most of this story will be told from Sookie's perspective, but I do plan on some Alcide chapters, though not many. Yes this is a Sookie/Alcide fic, it just takes time to get to there, so don't like Quinn fool you.